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List:       dmca-discuss
Subject:    [DMCA_Discuss] new question
From:       "Dr. John Raymond Baker" <drjohnbaker () earthlink ! net>
Date:       2003-03-11 19:07:17
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OK...let's say that a person willfully makes a copy of some digital file
that is copyrighted...let's say a file that names widgets.
If he knowingly does it, let's say he violates copyright laws (for the sake
of argument). But then, someone else makes a copy of his copy, and copies
that copy, and passes it on. Eventually, although the format of the file is
the same, it is certainly not that original copy. Now, from a legal
standpoint, is there any dilution of criminal or civil liability after a
file has gone through n-th degree of reproductions, or is the terminal file
holder just as legally liable as the person who copied the original file?

And, if someone downloaded just the name of a copyrighed file (say a text
file named the same as the original file), would that be an infringement,
since 0 bytes of copyrighted code would be downloaded, unless you went after
the person for downloading a trademark or word marked name...it all gets
rather silly.

I just think we all need to put as much pressure on our representatives in
congress (i.e. senators and reps) to repeal as much of this nonsense as
possible.

Copyright laws in the US were modelled after English copyright laws which
were enacted in an attempt to control printing presses and the ideas they
generated, in an effort to stifle free speech.

``"and so it goes"- Kurt Vonnegut
john




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